I had my courthouse oath ceremony on August 25. The entire thing takes close to 2 hours. There were 77 people taking the oath before a federal judge.
The first hour is mostly preparation inside the courtroom. Every citizen-to-be is called in some pre-specified order to take a seat in the front of the courtroom. There are lots of explanations as to procedings that will happen when the judge enters, etc.
Once the judge enters the courtroom, the procedings start according to a program. First, the judge asks the INS's officials in the courtroom if there is a motion, to which they answer yes, and indicate that all these people want to become citizens and have passed the interview, etc. The judge grants the motion. Every citizen-to-be is then introduced to the judge by name and country. The judge gives the oath and the pledge of allegiance.
Then there are some speaches, greetings, closing of the procedings, and distribution of certificates.
A word of advice is to leave your car in a parking garage unless you're lucky enough to find 2hour space near the federal building. Most parking areas around that building are 1.5 hours, which is tight for the length of the actvity.
--Harish
